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History of Heironeous/Chapter 5
Now when Hextor and Stratis saw the work of Heironeous, that he slew the dragon, and that he had gathered unto him disciples, behold, Hextor was envious, and he waxed greatly wroth. #And he spake unto his half-brother Stratis, saying, Behold, it is neither right nor just, for Heironeous hath the blessing of meersalm, and the gift of lightning, and what gift is mine, or thine? #And Stratis spake, saying, Yea, thy words are true, and yet what shall we do? For meersalm exists no more, and the gift of lightning is given unto Heironeous, and so what shall we do? #And Hextor led Stratis by cunning means unto a distant land, wherein dwelt the gods that were evil in the old times. #And of those gods, only Nerull, and Erythnul, and Vecna, and Tiamat remain, but there were many more in the old times, and Hextor spake unto them saying, Behold our half-brother, that he is mighty, and is this just? Is this right? Give unto me power, that I might match my brother. #And the gods of evil spake unto Hextor and Stratis, saying, Wherefore should we give unto thee of our power? Wilt thou smite thy half-brother therewith? #And Stratis saith, Nay, I shall not, but Hextor knelt before the gods of evil, and openeth a vein, and swore upon his blood, saying, I shall smite my half-brother for thy sake, and for the sake of the power with which ye shall bless me. #And Hextor said these things because of the jealousy, and the envy which he felt for his half-brother Heironeous. #And the gods of evil replied, saying, Go to, then, and smite thy half-brother that he die, and we shall bless thee. #And Stratis spake saying, Behold the treachery of evil, brother, for they would have thee smite Heironeous, and then shall they give thee the power that ye seek. #And Hextor answered him, saying, Nay, they commandeth that I smite my half-brother, and so I shall. And he rose up in that moment, and took of his morningstar, and smote Stratis, and smote him unto the ground, and smote him until he died. #And when the gods of evil saw this, they blessed Hextor, and gave unto him a new form, yea, a great and terrible form, grey of skin and fierce of visage, and this form had six arms. #And Hextor fled from the land of his mother, lest she punish him for slaying his half-brother, and came unto the world of men, and built for him an army, and with his army he didst march forth, that he might conquer the world. #And in the second year that Heironeous dwelt in the land of Elshamroth, there came unto him a vision, in the which he saw the world, and all the peoples therein, and he saw that they were sore afraid. #For there was a great evil in the land in those days, an army raised up beneath a banner he had never before seen, a fist clutching arrows, and this army moved like the waters of a great river, and whithersoever they touched was poisoned as with a canker. #And Heironeous went out unto the city of Elshamroth, and called to him the fifty and five that were his captains, for they were mighty men of valour, true and noble in all their deeds and actions. #And the fifty and five left their tasks, and went straightway unto Heironeous, and knelt before him. #And he said unto them, I know of thy sacrifices in my name, how ye hath fought monsters and dragons, how ye hath defended this city with your blood, how ye hath sworn to obey me in all things that I commandeth thee. #Behold, a great army arises in the south, beyond the plains and the mountains, yea, even in the jungles and forests that no man of this land hath ever seen, and this army marches like the waters of a great river. #And the people of that land, yea, and of all the world are sore afraid, for they cannot stand against this army, neither dare they stand, for those who would resist are utterly destroyed, and those that resist not are enslaved, that they and their children and their children's children might labour all the days of their lives for the building up of this army that has conquered their lands. #And one of those who was not of the fifty and five, yea, a blasphemer, and a profligate, didst cry out, saying, Behold, the jungles of the south are beyond the mountains known as Guardians, which no man may pass and live. How then knoweth thee of this army? Perchance a bird came unto thee and whispered it to thee. #And Salan, son of Roka stood and rebuked the man, saying, Know ye not that this is Heironeous, he who slew the dragon and saved this city, yea, and he who caught the lightning in his bare hand? And lo, is this not Heironeous, whom we have watched these many months, and who can say that he has not been upright in all things, yea, in every thing? Lo, I would take his testimony over thine if he were to say unto me, The sky is green. #And the blasphemer was ashamed, and fled the city, and was never seen again. And Salan knelt again before Heironeous. #And Heironeous spoke further unto his army, yea, and unto the people who had gathered round about, saying, Now, behold, on the morrow I will leave this city to face this army. It will take many months before I shall reach this army, and I will stand alone against it, for I release thee from thine oaths. I will not return to Elshamroth, and I will not take thee from thy families. #And Salan, son of Roka, rose before Heironeous and sayeth unto him, Behold, thou shalt not stand alone before this army, for I shall stand with thee, yea, even unto the gates of hell shall I stand with thee, and even those gates shall separate us only if it be thy will. #And the rest of the fifty and five stood behind Salan, son of Roka, and cried with one voice, saying, Thou, Heironeous, and thou, Salan, shall not stand alone, neither against this army nor at the gates of hell, for we shall travel with thee, yea, through plains, and mountains, and jungles, yea, and through deserts and fire and ice and all other things through which ye will travel. #And the people who were gathered together witnessed that Heironeous didst weep at the strength of his army, for he knew that they would surely perish if they followed him, but he forbade them not. Category:History of Heironeous